He's not a drop-out. He's taking corresponence courses.

According to numerous press reports:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says her future son-in-law Levi Johnston is not a dropout as the press is reporting, but is enrolled in high school via a correspondence program. The former Republican vice presidential candidate also said daughter Bristol, is enrolled in regular high school and has taken correspondence courses. The 18-year-olds are the parents of Sarah Palin's first grandchild, Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston, born Saturday.

My brother Dan, the school teacher, just emailed me his take on that:

Doesn't nearly every kid who has dropped out of High School claim to be taking correspondence classes? By the nature of those sort of programs, it is hard to claim who is or is not a student until they start to actually earn credits in the program on a regular basis. Otherwise ALL dropouts are not dropouts but simply waiting or delaying attendance. I don't see how "dropout" has any meaning if it doesn't mean all students who are not making measurable and steady progress toward graduation.